Quigley Statement on O’Hare Preparedness for Ebola Screenings

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement on O'Hare International Airport being prepared and capable to take in and screen passengers from the Ebola affected African countries:

"This week, I visited O'Hare Airport to review their passenger processing from the three African countries most affected by Ebola. These passengers have their temperatures taken, answer screening questions and are visibly screened for Ebola symptoms. Further, O'Hare is not the first screening these passengers will have gone through, having passed screenings before even boarding the plane. Along with my trip to O'Hare, I have been briefed by many state and federal agencies and want to be clear that while it's always good to be vigilant about your health, there is no immediate cause for alarm about an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. I left O'Hare feeling confident in U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Center for Disease Control and O'Hare's handling of the situation and thank the government and contract workers for their diligent work during this time."

A person cannot contract Ebola through the air, water, or through food grown or legally purchased in the U.S. A person can only get Ebola from touching the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick or has died from Ebola, by touching contaminated objects, like needles, or by touching infected fruit bats or primates (apes, monkeys, etc.).

For more information, please visit the Center for Disease Control website or call the Illinois Department of Public Health Ebola hotline at 800-889-3931, staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with knowledgeable staff.

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